Tuning fflelodeons and other reed instruments



No. 9,821. PATENTED JUNE 28, 1853 E. E. SHEPARDSON 8: B. LUCAS.

TUNING MELODEONS AND OTHER REED INSTRUMENTS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. E. SHEPARDSON AND E. LUCAS, OF NEWV BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

TUNING MEELODEONS AND OTHER REED INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,821, dated June 28, 1853.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDMUND E. SHEP- ARDSON and EDWIN Lucas, of New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Melodeons and other Reed Instruments; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a side view of the improvementor invention. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal vertical section of the pipe or tube, and the upper board of the bellows. The reed and clamps not being bisected. Fig. 3, is a top view of the pipe or tube. The upper clamp is also seen in this figure, and the reed is represented by dotted lines.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, in each of the several figures.

The nature of our invention consists in securing or attaching the reeds to movable pipes or tubes; said reeds being arranged between stationary clamps, which, as the pipes or tubes are moved, are brought nearer to, or farther from, the ends of the reeds. Consequently, by operating or moving the pipes or tubes, the vibrating parts of the reeds may be lengthened or shortened, and a greater or less vibration of the reeds obtained, as desired. By this simple arrangement, as will be presently shown, the instrument may be tuned with the greatest facility and accuracy.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction, and the manner in which it is operated.

A, represents a bellows, of ordinary construction; and B, is a pipe-or tube, placed on the upper board of the bellows. At the front end of the pipe or tube, there is a flange, (a), projecting outward from the lower part; said flange fitting loosely in a recess in a block, C, attached permanently to the upper board of the bellows.

D, is the reed, secured or attached to the lower or under side of the pipe or tube. The reed, of course, fits in a slot in the under side of the tube; and one end, (6), is soldered or brazed to the tube.

E, F, are two clamps. The lower clamp, E, is secured to the lower end of the slot or recess, G, in the upper board of the bellows; as seen in Fig. 2. The upper end of the clamp, E, touches the reed. The upper clamp, F, has a small jaw, or hooked projection, (0), which bears upon the upper surface of the reed directly over the lower clamp, E. The other portion of the clamp, F, is nearly parallel with the lower or under side of the pipe or tube, which projects some distance beyond the top part of the tube. The outer end of the clamp, F, rests upon the under side or bottom of the tube; and a screw, (cl), passes through the clamp, and into the upper board of the bellows; the screw, (cl), passing through a slot, (6), in the bottom or under side of the tube; see Fig. 2, and dotted lines in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that the tube or pipe, B, may be moved lengthwise, forward and backward; the flange, (a), fitting loosely in the block, C, and the slot, (6), through which the screw, (cl), passes, serving as guides to keep the pipe or tube properly in place. It will also be seen that, by moving the pipe or tube, the clamps, E, F, are brought nearer to, or farther from, the ends of the reed; and consequently, the vibrating portion of the reed may be made longer or shorter, as desired, and the exact tone required may be obtained.

The object of the pipe or tube is to obtain an instantaneous vibration of the reed.

e do not claim inserting reeds in pipes or tubes, for that has been previously done; but,

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Securing or attaching the reed to a movable pipe or tube, B; the reed being arranged or placed between stationary clamps,

E, F, by which, as the pipe or tube is moved,

the vibrating portion of the reed may be lengthened or shortened, and the desired tone obtained, as herein shown and described.

E. E. SHEPARDSON. EDWIN LUCAS. Witnesses:

ED. A. BARNEY, WILLIAM DURFEE. 

